Chapter 8

1. The potential energy stored by the spring is given by U = ½ kx2, where k is the spring
constant and x is the displacement of the end of the spring from its position when the
spring is at its rest length. Thus, the energy stored in spring when Adam stretches the
spring is
1
U1 = kx 2
2

The energy stored in the spring when John stretches the spring is

1 9
U2 = k (3 x)2 = kx 2
2 2

Therefore, the ratio between the energy stored in the spring in these two stretches is

U1 1
=
U2 9

60
64 CHAPTER 8

5. THINK As the ice flake slides down the frictionless bowl, its potential energy changes
due to the work done by the gravitational force.
r r
EXPRESS The force of gravity
r is constant, so the work it does is given by W = F ×d ,
r
where F is the force and d is the displacement. The force is vertically downward and
has magnitude mg, where m is the mass of the flake, so this reduces to W = mgh, where h
is the height from which the flake falls. The force of gravity is conservative, so the
change in gravitational potential energy of the flake-Earth system is the negative of the
work done: DU = –W.

ANALYZE (a) The ice flake falls a distance h = r = 22.0 cm = 0.22 m. Therefore, the
work done by gravity is

W = mgr = (2.00 ´ 10-3 kg) (9.8 m s2 ) (22.0 ´ 10-2 m) = 4.31 ´ 10-3 J.

(b) The change in gravitational potential energy is DU = –W = – 4.31 ´ 10–3 J.

(c) The potential energy when the flake is at the top is greater than when it is at the
bottom by |DU|. If U = 0 at the bottom, then U = + 4.31 ´ 10–3 J at the top.

(d) If U = 0 at the top, then U = – 4.31 ´ 10–3 J at the bottom.

(e) All the answers are proportional to the mass of the flake. If the mass is doubled, all
answers are doubled.

LEARN While the potential energy depends on the reference point (location where
U = 0 ), the change in potential energy, DU, does not. In both (c) and (d), we find
D U = - 4.31´10- 3 J.
70 CHAPTER 8

11. THINK As the ice flake slides down the frictionless bowl, its potential energy
decreases (discussed in Problem 8-5). By conservation of mechanical energy, its kinetic
energy must increase.

EXPRESS If Ki is the kinetic energy of the flake at the edge of the bowl, Kf is its kinetic
energy at the bottom, Ui is the gravitational potential energy of the flake-Earth system
with the flake at the top, and Uf is the gravitational potential energy with it at the bottom,
then
K f + U f = Ki + U i .

Taking the potential energy to be zero at the bottom of the bowl, then the potential energy
at the top is Ui = mgr where r = 0.220 m is the radius of the bowl and m is the mass of the
flake. Ki = 0 since the flake starts from rest. Since the problem asks for the speed at the
bottom, we write K f = mv 2 / 2 .

ANALYZE
(a) Energy conservation leads to
1 2
K f + U f = Ki + Ui Þ mv + 0 = 0 + mgr .
2
The speed is v = 2 gr = 2.08 m/s .

(b) Since the expression for speed is v = 2 gr , which does not contain the mass of the
flake, the speed would be the same, 2.08 m/s, regardless of the mass of the flake.

(c) The final kinetic energy is given by K f = K i + U i - U f . If Ki is greater than before,

LEARN The mechanical energy conservation principle can also be expressed as

24. We denote m as the mass of the block, h = 0.50 m as the height from which it dropped
(measured from the relaxed position of the spring), and x as the compression of the spring
(measured downward so that it yields a positive value). Our reference point for the
gravitational potential energy is the initial position of the block. The block drops a total
distance h + x, and the final gravitational potential energy is –mg(h + x). The spring
potential energy is 12 kx 2 in the final situation, and the kinetic energy is zero both at the
beginning and end. Since energy is conserved

Ki + U i = K f + U f
1
0 = - mg (h + x ) + kx 2
2

which is a second degree equation in x. Using the quadratic formula, its solution is

Now mg = 19.6 N, h = 0.50 m, and k = 1960 N m , and we choose the positive root
giving x = 0.11 m.
90 CHAPTER 8

29. (a) We know that speed is maximum when kinetic energy is maximum. In the given
situation, the complete potential energy of the spring is transferred to block as kinetic
energy:
1 2 1 2 mv 2 (4.0 kg)(1.0 m/s)2
kl = mv Þ k = 2 = = 100 N/m
2 2 l (0.20 m)2

The energy loss due to friction is

DU th = f k (l0 + x ) = mk FN (l0 + x ) = mk mg cos q (l0 + x ) .

Thus, by conservation of mechanical energy, we have

1 2
mg (l0 + x ) sin q = kx + mk mg cos q (l0 + x)
2
Solving for mk , we obtain

mg (l0 + x )sin q - kx 2 / 2 kx 2
mk = = tan q -
mg cos q (l0 + x) 2mg cosq (l0 + x )
(100 N/m)(0.30 m) 2
= tan 30° -
2(4.0 kg)(9.8 m/s 2 )cos30°(5.0 m + 0.30 m)
= 0.55

(b) The distance the block moves up from the stopping point is given by

1 2
kx = mgl ¢(sin q + mk cos q )
2
or
kx 2 (100 N/m)(0.30 m) 2
l¢ = =
2mg (sin q + mk cos q ) 2(4.0 kg)(9.8 m/s 2 )[sin30° + (0.55)cos30°]
= 0.118 m » 0.12 m.
 95

r
34. Let FN be the normal force of the ice on him and m is his mass. The net inward force
is mg cos q – FN and, according to Newton's second law, this must be equal to mv2/R,
where v is the speed of the boy. At the point where the boy leaves the ice FN = 0, so g cos
q = v2/R. We wish to find his speed. If the gravitational potential energy is taken to be
zero when he is at the top of the ice mound, then his potential energy at the time shown is
U = –mgR(1 – cos q ).

He starts from rest and his kinetic energy at the time shown is 12 mv 2 . Thus conservation
of energy gives
0 = 21 mv 2 - mgR(1 - cosq ) ,

or v2 = 2gR(1 – cos q ). We substitute this expression into the equation developed from
the second law to obtain g cos q = 2g(1 – cos q ). This gives cos q = 2/3. The height of
the boy above the bottom of the mound is
2 2
h = R cos q = R = (12.8 m) = 8.53 m .
3 3